In this 2012 photo, Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of Brooklyn, N.Y., celebrates the Divine Liturgy with U.S. bishops from the Eastern Catholic churches at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. (photo: CNS/Paul Haring)

‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum’ at 50(National Catholic Register) In the 50 years since the promulgation of “Orientalium Ecclesiarum,” the Second Vatican Council’s decree on the Eastern Catholic churches, this document has made noteworthy progress toward its goals, yet much waits to be done, according to church observers and specialists on the council. Maronite Bishop Gregory Mansour, who heads the Eparchy of St. Maron in Brooklyn, N.Y., said these 50 years have been “graced years, and Eastern Catholic churches are closer than ever before in a good union with the Latin Church…”

Pope Francis meets with Egyptian President(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday received in audience Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi. Following this encounter, the President met with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The pope expressed his hope that the peaceful coexistence among all components of society may be strengthened and the path to inter-religious dialogue may continue to be pursued.…

Islamic State militants blow up convent in city of Mosul(Vatican Radio) Islamic State militants blew up with explosives the Sacred Heart convent in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Monday, according to local Chaldean Christian sources consulted by Fides news agency. The explosions badly damaged the convent, especially its church…

Iraq’s Anbar grapples with devastation(Al Jazeera) A 10-month siege of the Anbar province has sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises to hit Iraq. The province, which borders Syria, has seen fierce fighting between Iraqi forces and the Islamic State, which has controlled most of Iraq’s western province for the past two months…